Pin jack for multiple plug-in connectors



July 31, 1945. A. c;-r HELLER PIN JACK FOR MULTIPLE PLUG-IN CONNECTORSFiled Aug. 4. 1943 mwl .Illlll'l Ill IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII l|||||||| BY lbrrame/ Patented July 3l, 1945 PIN JACK FOR. MULTIPLE PLUG-1N CONNECTORSAlexander G. Heller, New York, N. Y.; Anne Heller, Irwin N. Blackman,and Leon Cooper, executors oi' the estate ot Alexander G. Heiler,deceased, assignors to Insuline Corporation of America, Inc., LongIsland City, N. Y.

Application August 4, 1943, Serial No. 497,404

Claims.

'I'he invention here disclosed relates to plug-in connectors andparticularly to the pin jacks employed in such connectors.

These connectors comprise usually a plug having a number of pin contactsand a receptacle having a. corresponding number of jacks placed toreceive such pins. These coupling members must be small in size and atthe same time be of durable, rugged construction. The number oi circuitsto be completed and hence the number of pins and jacks on these smallcoupling members may vary i'rom only one or two to eighteen or more.This means that the pins and the Jacks must be quite small.Diilcuitieshave been experienced in providing jacks for these multipleplugs which would hold the pins ilrmly enough to assure positiveelectrical connection, 'which would be strong enough to stand roughusage and which at the same time would be self-aligning or selfadjustingto compensate for variations or possible misaligmnent in the many pinsofthe plug.

Objects of the .present invention are to overcome faults such asmentioned, found to exist in present constructions and to provide a pinjack particularly for a multiple connector, which though small in size,will be of rugged construction and adapted to compensate for variationsin the pin member and to at all times provide good electricalconnection.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the course of thefollowing specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part ci the speciilcationillustrates certain commercial embodiments of the invention, butstructure may be modiiled and changed as regards the instant disclosure,all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention ashereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 in the drawing is a longitudinal sectional view of the receptaclemember of a multiple connector, showing one of the new lacksincorporated therein Fig. 2 is an end view of the receptacle.

Fig. 3 is a side view o! the .lack removed from the receptacle.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail as on the plane oi' line#-4 oi' Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a modified form oi' the jack.

The receptacle shown in Figs. l and 2, is of generally conventionaldesign, comprising a screw shell l, interiorly shouldered at l, tosupport a correspondingly shouldered insulating block l, forming a baselor carrying the lacks.

The base piece is formed with cylindrical openings i0, to receive thejacks, shouldered at Ii, to form seats for the jacks and having smallerentrance openings i2, for the pin contacts I3, N,

- etc., which may be of diiferent sizes. the jacks corgesponding insize.

An insulating water i5, holds the Jacks in their seats in the base andis in turn held in place by a spring locking ring IB, engaged in agroove Il, in the interior of the shell.

Both the base and the wafer are secured in nonrotatable relation in theshell by a key rib i8, on the side o1' the shell engaged in alignedgrooves Ill, 20, in the sides of the insulating base and Wafer.

The lack consists oi a generally cylindrical stud 2i, hollowed in oneend to constitute a contact sleeve at 21. of slightly larger dimensionsthan the contact pin and holiowed in the opposite end to form a tubularwiring terminal 23, the latter portion being reduced to provide ashoulder 24, for holding engagement by the wafer I5.

In the iirst form of the invention shown in Figs. l to 4, the contactsleeve portion of the stud is reduced in diameter at 25, to leave an endilange 26. and an opposing shoulder 21. A longitudinal slot 2l, is cutthrough this entire sleeve portion, it being shown extended in throughthe flange 1B, at the pin entry end and through the side of the studpast the shoulder 2l. At the upper end, this slot serves the purpose ofa key groove, receiving a keying lug I9, on the wafer. which thus locksthe lack against turning and locates the terminal portion in thedesirable position for making the soldered connection with the wire.

A fiat strip of spring material l0, coiled into circular shape, is shownengaged about the reduced portion 25, and as having an inwardly struckportion li, extending radially in through the slot 2l, beyond the innersurface of the contact sleeve, Fig 4 In the illustration, the radiallyprojecting portion Il, is produced by striking a plurality oilongitudinally aligned indentations I2, across one end ot the springstrip Ill, providing as shown in Fig. l, small arches which are detachedat their inner edges at Il. from the body oi the strip. Because of theirarched formation, these inwardly projected portions are rigid enough toact substantially as solid lugs exerting radial pressure on an insertedpin to force the latter diametrically over into ilrm engagement with theopposite side of the socket. The provision oi' one or more of theseinwardly struck arches eects a gradual engagement with the pin as thelatter is entered in the socket and in the final position, holds the pinover against the opposite side of the socket, solidly engaged with thewall oi.' the socket, at both ends ot the pin. Thisinsures extendedsurface engagement and hence good electrical contact, free oiresistance.

The spring holding strip need not be completely circular, Fig. 4,showing that it may be substantially C-shaped in cross-section, thisproviding sufiicient spring eiect to torce the` pin solidly intoengagement with the side oi the socket.

The coiled spring strip can be engaged over the reduced portion of thesleeve between shoulders 26 and 21, by entering the intermediate portionof the coiled strip edgewise into the slot 2B, with the indented portioninside the sleeve and then rotating the coil to bring the indentedportion out into the slot, as in Fig. 3. As shown in this view, thestrip may have longitudinally extending lugs 34, 35, at the oppositeedges of the same in line with the indentations 32, to enter and standin the slot in this iinal position and thus to serve as retainers forholding the spring strip properly positioned on the sleeve. In theseated position of the jack, Fig. 1, any displacement of the springstrip will be prevented by the surrounding walls of the insulating base.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the end flangeappearing at 26, in Fig. 3, is omitted. This permits the coiled springstrip being forced endwise over the reduced portion 25, of the sleeve,without rst having to enter the strip through the slot and then rotateit into position. Besides greater ease of assembly, this second form ofthe invention permits of the spring being coiled for a closer ttingengagement on the reduced portion of the sleeve, so that it is held inposition by such spring irictional engagement. Once in position in thesocket, the spring is held against any possibility of disengagement byseating against the shoulder Il, Fig. 1, and by binding pressure on thesleeve occasioned by insertion of the pin in the sleeve.

The contact sleeves can be inexpensively produced from cylindrical rodstock, drilled in from opposite ends to form the contact socket andwiring terminal. such end portions being turned down to i'orm thereduced end portions and the abutment shoulders 2l and 21. the iirst ofsuch shoulders for holding engagement by the insulating wafer I5, andthesecond shoulder for positioning the spring holding band.

The coiled spring is easily made of tlat spring stock curled to thenecessary curvature and indented at one end with the small alignedarches to enter the slot and frictionally engage the pin contact. n

The longitudinal slot in the side of the stud provides an entrance forthe'lndented pin engaging portions of the spring and serves when engagedby the key lug on the wafer to secure the stud in properly angledposition. The coiled springs are easily engaged over the ends o1' thecontact sleeves and can, if necessary, be readily removed forreplacement. The longitudinal slot 2B need not be cut through the end ofthe stud and in such event, the C-shaped spring strip may be engagedover the reduced portion of the stud by iirst entering one end of theC-shaped piece through the slot and then rolling the piececircumferentially into the final position illustrated in Fig. 4.

assaoos What is claimed is: 1. A pin jack for a multiple plug-inconnector comprising a-rigid contact sleeve having a slotin one sideextending longitudinally inwardly from the .pin receiving end of thesame, and a. nat spring strip coiled about the slotted end portion ofsaid sleeve and having a permanently in dented portion projectingradially inwardly through said slot beyond the inner surface of saidsleeve into position to be engaged by a pin contact entered in saidsleeve, said slot extending inwardly beyond said spring strip and aninsulating holding member engaged over the opposite end of the sleeveand having a key lug entered in the inner end position of said slot.

2. A pin jack for a multiple plug-in connector comprising a rigidcontact sleeve having a slot in one side extending longitudinallyinwardly from the pin receiving end of the same and a dat spring stripcoiled about the slotted end portion of said sleeve and having apermanently indented portion projecting radially inwardly through saidslot beyond the inner surface o! said sleeve into position to be engagedby a pin contact entered in said sleeve and a retaining flange on saidslotted end the sleeve, the slot extending through said flange to nablethe coiled strip being slipped edgewise over the end of the sleeve withthe inwardly angled portion entering through the slot in said flange.

3. A pin lack for a multiple plug-in connector, comprising a contactsleeve having a longitudinal slot at one side, a coiled strip of atspring ma terial engaged about the slotted portion of said contactsleeve, said strip being indented at one end transversely of the stripand in longitudinally aligned arches entered in said slot and projectingradially inward beyond the inner surface of the contact sleeve intoposition for engagement by a pin contact entered in the sleeve.

4.' A pin jack for plug-in connectors, comprising a contact sleevehaving an open-ended slot extending longitudinally inwardly from the pinreceiving end of the same. a strip oi iiat spring metal coiled insubstantially C-shape and having portions at one end of the same bentangulariy inwardly and substantially radially of the center of saidC-shape formation, said radially projecting portions being of a width toenter the open end o! the slot and whereby said coiled spring member maybe engaged endwise over the end of the sleeve,-said C-shaped memberbeing of a diameter to closely surround the contact sleeve and theangularly projecting end portions being of suiilcient extent to projectradially through the slot past the inner circumference of the contactsleeve and means for retaining said spring member so positioned on thecontact sleeve.

5. A pin Jack for plug-ln connectors, comprislng a contact sleeveslotted in one side of the same and a C-shaped pin retaining spring o!iiat strip spring material closely surrounding said contact sleeve andhaving integral inwardly arched portions at one end of the sameprojecting substantially radially through and beyond the slotted wall ofthe contact sleeve, said radially projecting arched portions having freeside edges but left integrally connected at their ends with the mainbody of said at strip spring material.

ALEXANDER G. HELLER.

